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IN MEMORY 



OF 



AMELIE AND MELANIE deGRASSE, 



DAUGHTERS OF 



Count deGRASSE, 



THE RESTORATION OF THEIR TOMB, 



PA' 



THE CITY COUNCIL, and its decoration p,y LADIES OF CHARLESTON, 



St. MARY'S CHURCH YARD, 



October 19th, 1881. 

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IN MEMORY 



OF 



AMELIE AND MELANIB dhGR/ 




DAUGHTERS OF 



Count deGRASSE, 



THE RESTORATION OF THEIR TOMB, 



BY 



THE CITY COUNCIL, and its decoration by LADIES OF CHARLESTON, 




St. MARY'S CHURCH YARD, 



October 19th, 1881. 





CONTENTS. 




I. The News and Courier Editorial, October 17th, 18S1. 

11. Mayor Courtenay's Letter to the Count deGrasse, and Frencli Delegation, at 
Yorktown. 

III. Decoration of the Tomb of Demoiselles deGrasse. 

W. A View of the Tomb in -St. Mar\'s Church Yard, October igtli, 1881. 

V. Yorktown Centennial Poem, by Paul H. Hayne, of S. C. 



Prkskntation Coi'Y, 




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rhe Yorktown Centennial 



The Commemoration of Admiral deGrasse in Charleston. 




HARLESTON'S PART IN THE CEREMONIES OF THE TIME IS TO 
commemorate, in a most touching way, the services of Admiral Count deGrasse, 
^ who commanded the French fleet at Yorktown, a hundred years ago. Two of the 
daughters of the gallant Admiral, refugees from Santo Domingo, died in this City, 
in 1799, and were buried in St. Mary's Churchyard. The purpose is to decorate 
their tomb, as a most becoming mark of the gratitude and love of this people. 

HP HE tomb of the Demoiselles Amelie and Melanie deGrasse was found to be in a reason- 
ably good condition. It was considered highly proper to repair, as far as possible, the 
injuries wrought by the winds and rains of more than four score years, and the Vestrymen of 
St. Mary's have superintended this kindly work, which will be finished to-day. A Committee 
of Ladies are preparing arches to surmount the tomb. These arches will be adorned with 
evergreens, flowers, and the silvery Southern moss. The co-operation of the ladies of 
Charleston in general is desired, and contributions of flowers, wreaths, crosses and small 
hanging baskets, will be received at St. Mary's Church, between the hours of 7 and 9, on 
Wednesday morning. The gates of the Cemetery will be open to the public from 10 30 A. M. 
to 5 P, M. on Wednesday, so as to enable those interested to visit the hallowed spot. 



years 
United 
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an 



past the descendants of the Admiral Count deGrasse, while travelling in the 
States, have made pilgrimages to the tomb of the fair young gentlewomen of 
r family, and it is presumed that the Count deGrasse, 
instructions of his Government, represents his heroic 
Yorktown, will desire to extend his journey as far as 
City. It will be a gratification to Charleston 
he can do so, and Mayor Courtenay has 
accordingly addressed to him the 
following letter: 





CITY OF CHARLESTON. 

Executive Department, October 15, 1881. 

The Count deGrasse, of France, and friemh, Yorktovjn, Virginia 







ENTLEMEN : In behalf of the City Council and people of Charleston. 
I have the honor to address you, as the representatives of the Count 
de(irasse, the companion in-arms and friend of Washington. At the close of the 
Century you visit our shores, to unite with the President and citizens of our wide-spreading 
Republic, in the Centennial Celebration of the victory of Yorktown, in which your ancestor 
bore a conspicuous and honored part. I beg most respectfully to tender to you the assur- 
ance of the great pleasure felt by the people of Charleston in your visit at this time to 
America, and trust it will serve to perpetuate the bonds of amity so long existing between 
France and the United States. It is known to you that the son of Admiral Count deGrasse 
resided for some time in Charleston, and that the remains of two of his sisters repose in the 
Cemetery of .St. Mar)-'s Church, in our city. It will interest you to learn that it is the inten- 
tion of the ladies of Charleston to specially honor the Centennial day you will celebrate in 
Virginia, on the 19th, by decorating their tomb with floral offerings from the private gardens 
of our citizens, in recognition of the gallant services of the father one hundred years ago. and 
of affection for the memory of his children, whose brief residence among us and early death 
are now recalled with mingled pleasure and regret. It may be your desire to visit Charleston, 
as the city where the son of the Admiral Count deGrasse once lived, and where the 
Demoiselles Amelie and Melanie deGrasse died, as I have mentioned. I express the feelings 
of our people when I indulge the hope that you will make it convenient to come to 
Charleston, and it affords me pleasure to invite you to do so as the guests of this municipality. 

T AVAIL myself of the courteous attention of General DeSaussure, President of the State 
Society of the Cincinnati of .South Carolina, Captain Marshall, of the Washington Light 
Infantry, and Captain .Schachte, of the Fusiliers, in attendance upon the ceremonies at York- 
town, from our cil)', for the delivery of this communication, and the opportunity of personally 
assuring you of our highest esteem and consideration. 

I am^ gentlemen, very faithfully yours, 

WM. A. COURTENAY, Mayor. 




nPHIS is as it should be. The invitation is well conceived, and will meet with public approval. 

There is, indeed, in the whole programme for the Yorktown Centennial, no incident 

so pathetic^ to our mind, as the commemoration of the Admiral deGrasse through his dead 

:hes a chord that the pomp and pride at Yorktown will not reach. 

jm Admiral deGrasse gave his last thought have lain nigh a centui 

the name of their sire is on every tongue, and the guns thunder 

their hearts will hear it and beat, 

Start and tremble under our feet, 

And blossom in purple and red. 

\News and Courier, October ijth, 1881. 

Count deGrasse was not able to visit Charleston on account of OHicial Engagements. 






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Near the Southwest Corner of St. Mary's 

Church, Hasel Street, is the Tomb of the Two Daughters 

of the Count deGrasse. The white marble Slab bears this inscription 

UNDEKNEATH LIES INTERREO 
THE BODIES OF 

D'IXE AMKLJl-: MAXIM K ROSAl.Il-: 

ueGRASSE, 

Deceased on the 23 d Day of August, 1799, 

AND OF 

D'LLE MELANIE VERONIQUE MAXlME 
deGRASSE, 

Deceased on the iqth September, 1799, 

Daughters to the late 

FRANCIS JOSEPH PAUL. Count deGRASSE. 

Marquis de Tilly 

OF the FORMER 

Counts of Provence and Sovereign Princes 

OF Antibes. 

Lieutenant-General of the Naval Army of 

His Most Christian Majesty, 

Commander of the Royal Order of St. Louis, 

A Membkr of the Mii.riARV Society of 
Cincinnati. 



head of the Tomb, a Coronet is displayed, surmounting 
Shield, bearing the arms of the family. Below, is 
a Cross, and the initials I. H. S. 






in 3^1cmoviam-"(lc(i5vas5C. 




T N the quiet Cemetery ot St Mar\''s Catholic Church, 
Hasel Street, a touching tribute was paid to the mt 
Demoiselles Amelie and Melanie deGrasse, daughters of 
French Admiral, Count deGrasse, who unsheathed his sword 
the struggling Colonies^ and risked his life for American Inde 
the head of their tomb a solitary sentinel stood guard through the day, 
thousands of ladies and gentlemen, embracing many of the most distinguished persons 
in tiie city, visited the grave. Over the tomb was erected a catafalque of very graceful design, 
covered with gray moss and ivy, the four supporting pillars being constructed of twining ever- 
greens. Surmounting the canopy was a crown, and over the head of the tomb a cross and 
wreath of white immortelles, which were contributed by the Lafayette Artillery. Suspended 
from each corner of the canopy was a hanging basket of moss and roses and trailing vines. 

CTANDING on the marble slab at the head of the grave was a basket of ferns and autumn 
leaves, artistically arranged, surmounted by two tiny flags, the colors of France and America, 
and l)eneath tliem a card, bearing the inscription: "Boston Souvenir, 17S1 — 1881." This 
beautiful tribute was contributed by Miss Lalou. who brought it from Boston. Placed in the 
centre of the slab was a large oval basket, tied at each end with red, white and blue ribbons, 
and tilled with the richest flowers of autumn, arranged with charming taste, and exhaling a 
wealth of perfume. This was contributed by Mons. Paul Dejardin, the French Consul at this 
Port. Below these were two bouquets of beautiful roses, contributed by Misses Clementine 
and Marie Guillemin. The tomb seemed to rest upon an embankment of gray moss, which 
was profusely strewn with roses, dahlias, pinks and scarlet berries, the richest treasures of the 
conservatory and the garden. Among those who contributed the floral offerings were Mrs. J. 
A. Cay, Mrs. D. M. O'Driscoll. Mrs. Antoine Riols, Mrs. F. P. .Salas, Mrs. E. Fourgeaud, Mrs. 
G. Follin, Mrs. G. W. Aimar, Mrs. Barrett, and others. 

nPHE most striking decoration was a magnificent American shield, of Parisian make, 
exquisitely woven of red, white and blue immortelles, contributed by the Washington Light 
Infantrv. This shield was suspended over the centre of the tomb from the apex of the cata- 
falque. In the blue ground of the shield were placed thirteen little bunches of white immor- 
telles, representing the thirteen stars of the thirteen States. The edges of the shield were 
illuminated with a border of golden immortelles, the whole an elaborate piece of exquisite 
workmanship. 

TPHE construction of the catafalque and the arrangement o 
)erintended by Mr. S. Webb, the Charleston florist, 

Cemetery of St. Mary's will be kept open to the 

to-morrow^ in order to give any citizens who may 
seen the decorations yesterday the opportunity o 
ing the tomb. — Nezus and Courier, Octobe 
20ih, 1S81. 






YORKTOWM CKNTENNIAL OD 



By PAUL H. HAYBJE, of South Carolina. 



t. 

U ARK ! hark 1 dowu the rentnry's lonj; reaching slope, 

To those transports of triumph —those raptures of hopel 
The voices of Main and of Mountain combined, 
In glad resonance borne on the wings of the wind ; 
The bass of the drum, and the trumpet that thrills 
Through the multiplied echoes of juljilant hills ! 
And mark! how the years, melting upward like mist. 
Which the breath of some splendidenchantment lias kissed, 
Reveal on the ocean, reveal on the shore, 
The proud pageant of conquest that graced them of yore. 

Chorus — 

Where bleuded forever in love as in fame. 

See! llie standard wliicli stole from tlie starlight its flame. 

And type of all chivalry, glory, romance, 

The fair lilies, the luminous lilies of France 

II. 

( i H ! stubborn the strife, ere the conflict was won I 

And wild, whirling war-wrack half stifled the sun ; 
The thunders of cannon that boomed on the lea 
But re-echoed far thunders pealed up from the sea — 
Where guarding his sea lists— a knight (ju the waves — 
Bold deGrasse kept at bay the blutf bulldogs of Graves— 
The day turned to darkness, the night changed to tire, 
Still more tierce waxed the combat, more deadly the ire — 
I'ndimmed by the gloom, in majestic advance. 
Ah ! behold where they ride, o'er the red battle-tide. 

Chorits— 

Those banners united in love as in fame — 

The brave standard which drew Irom the slarbearas their 

flame. 
And type of all chivalry, glory, romance, 
The fair lilies, the luminous lilies of France! 

III. 

O respite ! No pause ! By the York's tortured flood 
The gray lion of England is writhing in blood 1 
Cornwallis may chafe, and coarse Tarleton aver- 
As he sharpens his broadsword and buckles his spur — 
'■ This blade, which so oft has reaped rebels like grain. 
Shall now harvest, for death, the rude yeoman again." 




N 




Vain boast! for ere sun set he's fl\ 

With the rebels he scouted dose, 

The French on his flank hurled such volleys of shot 

That e'en Gloucester's redoubt must be growing too hot. 

Cliorus — 

Thus wedded in love as united in fame, 

I^o ! the standard that stole from the starlight its flame — 

An(.i type of all chivalry, gltjry, romance. 

The fair lilies, the luminous lilies of France! 

IV. 

morning superb ! when the siege reached its close ! 
Seel the sundawn outbloom like the alchemist's rose- 
Tlie last wreaths of smoke from dim trenches upcurled 
Are transformed to a glory that smiles on the world. 
.loy ! Joy ! Save the wan, wasted front of the foe, 
With his battleflags furled and his arms trailing low. 
Respect for the brave I In grim silence they yield. 
And in silence they pass with bowed heads from the field. 
Then tr!umi)h transcendent! So Titan of tone 
That some vowed it must startle King George on his throne ! 
Chorus — 

O ! wedded in love, as united in fame, 

See I the standard that stole from the starliglit its flame— 

And type of all chivalry, glory, romance, 

Tlie fair lilies, tlie luminous lilies of France ! 

V. 
VV HEN Peace to her own timed the pulse of the land. 

And the war weapon sunk from the war wearied hand. 
Young Freedom, unborne to the heighth of the goal — 
She had yearned for .so long, with deep travail of soul — 
A song of her future raised, thrilling and clear. 
Till the woods leaned to barken, the hill slopes to hear — 
Yet! fraught with all magical gramleurs that gleam. 
On the hero's high liojie, or ihe patriot's dream. 
What future, tho' bright, in cold shadow shall cast 
The stern beauty that haloes the brow of the Past? 

Cfiorus — 

O! wedded in love as imited In fame ! 

See ! the stamlard that stole from the starlight its flame. 

And type of all chivalry, glory, romance. 

The fair lilies, the luminous lilies of France I 







50 COPIES PRIVATELY PRINTED FOR MAYOR CCURTENAY, AND 50 COPIES FOR THE SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI OF THE STATE 
OF SOUTH CAROLINA BY WALKER, EVANS & COGSWELL, CHARLESTON. S. C. 






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